What we’re thinking, what we’re watching, what’s coming on the blog today and the RASNoD (Random American Soccer Name of the Day). Setting up your day in soccer …
Birthdays of note: Former German international and German coach Rudi Völler seems like an important birthday. He turns 52. But he gets bumped down one chair because Barcelona defensive bedrock Carles Puyol, also a Spain World Cup winner, turns 34. But that’s not the most important B-Day, either. That because most Major League Soccer franchises were more or less born on this date. April 13, 1996, marked the first match for most original Major League Soccer clubs. A crowd of almost 70,000 in the Rose Bowl saw the New York MetroStars against Los Angeles in both clubs’ debut.
Ahead on the blog today*: Plenty on Saturday’s big matches, including the Sporting Kansas City-Real Salt Lake tussle in the heartland and Saturday’s Liverpool-Everton FA Cup semifinal.
RASNoD (Random American Soccer Name of the Day): Steve Ralston
Twitter daps: U.S. international Maurice Edu (@MauriceEdu): “Todays Friday the 13th! What will this day bring? Hmmmm”
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PSG, Ancelotti, and Real Madrid: Four basic facts of Carlo’s Spanish future
May 20, 2013, 11:58 PM EDT
Expect this one to get worked out.
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As far as transfer rumors go, Gonzalo Higuaín to Arsenal actually makes some sense
May 20, 2013, 11:23 PM EDT
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If Real Madrid’s going to shake things up, Higuaín could do worse than land at The Emirates.
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Reuters
Four players were on the original list. None of them may end up at Stamford Bridge.
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Our sympathy continues to grow for a man in a bad spot.
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Brighton & Hove Albion formally apologize to Crystal Palace over ‘excrement’ incident
May 20, 2013, 7:21 PM EDT
MLS will not have arrived until it has a high-profile feces incident.
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It probably won’t happen this summer, and if it does … I’m sure we’ll run that into the ground, too.
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Silvio Berlusconi says he hasn’t fired Maximiliano Allegri. Yet.
May 20, 2013, 5:45 PM EDT
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For a moment, it looked like Milan had fired their coaching staff … via an open letter from a television show.
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Real Madrid won’t get any compensation from Chelsea for José Mourinho
May 20, 2013, 4:55 PM EDT
Real Madrid would have been in line for an eight-digit payday had they sold Mourinho to Chelsea.
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Klinsmann to replace Moyes at Everton? UK bookmakers slash odds
May 20, 2013, 4:00 PM EDT
Reuters
Odds on current U.S. Men’s National Team boss Jurgen Klinsmann to become Everton’s next permanent manager have dropped heavily today.
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ProSoccerTalk’s MLS Player of the Week: New York Red Bulls’ Jamison Olave
May 20, 2013, 3:45 PM EDT
Wherein we justify the selection of a center back, which always seems to be a requirement in these things:
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Sky Blue FC validates, Ali Krieger resonates, and four teams start to feel the toll of the new season.
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What’s been coming for a long time is now official. Jose Mourinho’s three-year tenure at Real Madrid has a finish line.
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Ben Olsen? Frank Klopas? … Someone else?
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The big, soon-to-be out of contract Galaxy center backs says talks with MLS commenced:
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That’s sarcasm. Ruiz was always bound to cause headaches, one way or the other:
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The first-year Red Bulls center back made a huge imprint on New York’s win over Los Angeles:
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There is still plenty of star appeal as the Europa League champs’ roster for a quick two-game tour of the United States:
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Kljestan becomes the fifth American to defend a title in a top league:
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The Scottish striker will hardly be missed around Vancouver:
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Sporting K.C. makes it clear after blown call – “I scored the goal”
May 19, 2013, 10:00 PM EDT
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Sporting K.C. manager Peter Vermes and defender Ike Opera didn’t appreciate the pivotal offsides call that disallowed a possible winning goal against D.C. United, and they made that very obvious.
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Video: Highlights: Union outlast Fire
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Video: Sir Alex says goodbye
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Video: Morgan committed to growth of new women's league
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Video: Boy with cancer, 8, scores against major league soccer team
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Video: Red Bulls pull off win on the road
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Video: Highlights: Montreal extinguish Chicago
